Early Files - Blythe
by NegaDot
Summary: Everything you ever needed to know about Serpent Wing's own Blythe Sandrunner. (OC backstory)
1. Chapter 1

Early Files - Blythe, part 1 (a Fairy Tail fanfic prequel)

There is a village that nestles between the mountains and the desert. People here lead a rough and often short life. Outlaws are common and magic is forbidden. Only in the most recent generations has the village adopted the language and ways of the rest of Fiore. For centuries prior, this was tribal land. Magic is misunderstood and feared. One clan here does what it can to reign in the outlaws they find, the Sandrunners. They are a family of bounty hunters and have been for generations. They hunt anyone who crosses the law, but their passion is darker than just that. They also hunt mages as they cling to the old ways. They hunt mages without mercy, treating them as little better than animals at best. The clan has done this for countless years, but now, something is going to change.

A boy was born into the clan unlike any of his predecessors in many ways. For one, he was pale skinned, a trait of his mother's. She had come to this land several years ago from somewhere far away. She was ostracized at first, but the leader of the Sandrunner family has fought off the hate and married her into his prestigious clan. The name 'Sandrunner' had been highly respected for many generations in this corner of Fiore, but over he last few generations, the admiration was fading. Now Fiore's army kept the peace on the road from the desert and if that wasn't enough, they had an ace in the hole. The village sustained itself by providing iron ore to the army and to their guardian, Metilicana, the Iron Dragon. For part of their weekly haul, the dragon had agreed to protect them from any attacking members of his kind. Another clan was in charge of carting these offerings, Redfox.

The Redfox clan was deeply despised by most of the local inhabitants. The only one who didn't seem to hate them was the pale boy with curly golden locks. The Redfox family was down to a single woman and her son, the lone survivor of a pair of twins. However, this story is not about that child. This is about the Sandrunners and, more importantly, Blythe. His father was hard on him during training. Nothing the boy ever did seemed to be good enough. It wasn't that he was unskilled. He simply 'soft'. His personality drew in most people around him, making them smile without noticing, but that effect didn't work at home. His mother remained silent during much of the abuse and his elder sister simply laughed. One might expect this child to grow up in anger, but he maintained his innocent eyes despite being trained to hunt and kill other men.

-

The young Blythe hit the sand hard. "Is that the best you've got? How disappointing", sneered his father. They had been sparring, trying to hone the lad's reflexes, but his heart just wasn't in it. He got up and dusted himself off. "Are you even trying?", demanded his father. Blythe nodded, fighting off tears, knowing letting them flow would only make things worse. His father sighed and turned to look at his sister, Tanya. "At least I have a viable heir", he stated. Tanya smiled wickedly at her little brother. She was truly the golden child in their father's eyes. Everything she did, she did well. She could run, fight, and even mix toxins. Blythe wasn't so good at any of that. Sure, he could run as far as the day was long, but it was never enough to impress his stern father.

"Yavuz, try to go easy on him. He's younger than Tanya", said his mother, stepping onto the sparring field. She, too, had become a bounty hunter when she married into the family. It was expected of her and she held the talent to do it. She'd long studied martial arts as a means of mediation during her old life, but here, the skills became needed for other things. "Tihana, quit coddling the boy", sighed his father. She bent down and wiped the blood from her son's cheek with a soft smile. This was often the most she would do in sight of the head of the family. Yavuz grasped her shoulder roughly. "Let him bleed. It'll be a lesson to him to get better", he said before walking off. "Tanya, complete your sparring rounds with your brother. I have work to do", he ordered. Hoping down from her perch on a nearby rock, she obeyed. She crossed her arms and stared at her sibling with a smirk. "Come on, mama's boy. Show me what you've got", she taunted. A chilling stare from their father was all it took for their mother to retreat back into the house.

The siblings now stood alone, face to face. Tanya punched Blythe repeatedly in his shoulder, waiting for him to put his hands up. "Father's right. You're pathetic", she said. He mumbled something incoherent. "What? Speak up!", she yelled. Turning his eyes up form the ground, he met her gaze. "I said I can fight", he repeated louder. "Show me", she stated. Tired of being pushed around, he went for it. It wasn't long before she sent him reeling. After all, she was older and bigger than he was. He rolled into the sand until he skidded to a halt. She stepped into his field of vision , but offered no help. "Oh, come on! I'd get a better fight with those girls at the convent!", she teased. Sitting up, he didn't cry, not for her. He just held a calm yet faint grin. "What the hell are you smiling at? You lost!", she said. "Mother said every loss is just an opportunity to get better", he uttered sheepishly. "Uugghh, she really does coddle you. You have to grow up sometime, you know", she sighed. "But we're just kids", he replied. Giving up, she sneered across her shoulder as she stalked away and said, "You'll always be a child."

-

A few days later, the house was quiet. Yavuz had decided to take the children out to see exactly what they do. Tihana watched her son closely as the stalked their prey. Three men sat around a camp fire up the mountain, discussing how they had trashed the town the day before. They laughed at what little resistance had been shown. Yavuz was out of the village with Tanya and Tihana had tried to stop them herself. Now she glared at them through her swollen eye. Failure was not accepted and the fact they had guns was no excuse.

"I know, right?! I mean, seriously, who sends a woman do to a man's job?", laughed the ringleader. "I told you those bounty hunters were a joke", smirked an underling. Tihana held her wounded arm close. She'd been shot during their previous encounter. Tanya watched them with anger, annoyed she had to wait to go after them. Yavuz simply took in their mannerisms while Blythe looked upon them with pity. Yes, they had done wrong and even injured his mother, but his father was brutal in his captures, rarely taking in a mark alive. Tihana jolted to attention at the utterance of her name. Yavuz was giving orders. "Take the boy around the east side and wait for my signal", he stated. "But - ", she started. He glared at her with menacing intent. Silently, she nodded and did as she was told. Tanya watched them go and said, "Why do we even need them here? You could take them all down by yourself." Her father smirked. "Yes, but then I wouldn't know how you handle thinking on your feet", he replied. Before she could ask what he meant, he shoved her down from their perch.

She landed hard on her knees, but never took her eyes off the men in front of her. "What do we have here?", said one. "Entertainment", said another. As they rose to approach her, she threw a poison laced knife that lodged deep in the throat of the first man. "Holy shit!", said his comrade, stumbling backward. The leader stood up with a smug expression. "Little girl, that was your last mistake", he seethed. Nearby, Tihana saw what happened. She watched helplessly, knowing to interfere would not be permitted. She also worried about her son, Blythe. He was only five and so gentle, she hated to see him harmed. His eleven year old sibling was kicking ass at the campsite. When their mother turned to check on him, he was gone. She spotted him above, climbing over some rocks toward the outlaws, determined to prove his father wrong. "Blythe, no!", she cried. That utterance gave away both of their positions. The bandit leader took a shot, dropping Tihana to the ground. Annoyed, Yavuz jumped to the ground gracefully. In mere seconds, both outlaws were dead alongside their partner.

Tanya praised his skill, but was brushed aside. Yavuz stood over his wife with cold eyes. "Get up", he ordered. She sat up slowly, clutching her eye. Blood poured from between her fingers. "Tanya, medical practice", was all he said before retrieving the stolen items from the camp. Tihana was lucky. The bullet only grazed her brow near her eye and not the eye itself. Her blue eyes were mirrored in her daughter by color, but Tanya's were cold like her father's. Once she had been bandaged, Tihana went to loading the corpses with her husband. They'd fetch a fair price.

-

One day, Blythe sat below the window in his home, covering his ears from the riot outside. The town square was far off, but even so, the din reached him. Someone had started a fight in the market which quickly escalated. When people finally disbanded, his father entered the door with a triumphant smirk. "What happened?", asked Tihana. "That damn witch was in town again", he said, sitting down to remove his heavy boots. "Why does she even show her face?", sneered Tanya. "That won't be a problem anymore", grinned her father. "You mean - ?...", trailed Tihana. "Stone dead", laughed Yavuz, thinking himself witty. "I don't think she was really a witch", uttered Blythe, thinking out loud. His father's eyes snapped onto him like a predator stalking prey. "What did you say?", he asked tensely. "She was a witch! A filthy magic user!", cried Tanya. Rising from his seat, Yavuz said, "Take her to the other room." There was no room for interpretation or defiance. Tihana took Tanya by the hand and hastily left to the bedrooms. She pressed her back to the door and clenched her eyes shut at the sounds emanating from the kitchen. "It was just a simply statement", she thought, but Blythe had inadvertently disagreed with his father, something no one ever did.

That night, Tihana silently wrapped her son's wounds. She could say nothing as she watched Blythe smile warmly at her. His nose was broken, some of his baby teeth had been knocked out, and his body was black and blue, but still he grinned just for her as if to say, "I'm all right." It brought tears to her eyes, knowing that he put her peace of mind ahead of his own well being. She could hear her husband praising their daughter for mastering another toxin in the next room. As the night went on, she watched her children sleep, completely aware of their father's favoritism. She sighed deeply, angry her fear prevented her from protecting the boy. Enough was enough. This time was mild compared to the severity of other 'corrections' and she feared they would only get worse. She gently stroked her children's brows and went to confront her husband.

-

Blythe sat up like a shot at the noise. He darted his young eyes to his sister. She stared at the ceiling, but said nothing. "Tanya, do you think mom's okay?", he whispered. "She's crying, right? That means she's alive. Stop worrying", she replied, rolling over to block everything out. Unable to ignore it, Blythe slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the door. He cracked it open enough to slip through and closed him behind him. "Your funeral", sighed Tanya, going back to sleep.

-

Blythe peeked around the corner to his parents' room with horrified fascination. His mother was on the ground, gasping for air. His father had his knee on her chest and his handover her mouth as he had his way with her. Tears trolled down her cheeks as she tried to contain her screams lest the children be involved. This sight alone would be enough to traumatize any young child, but the terror wasn't over. Blythe tried to back away quietly, but bumped into a table behind him. His father darted his gaze to the door with anger and his mother hers with worry. "Don't move", he sneered as he got up to investigate. Blythe wanted to run, but then he be spotted for sure, so he tried to hide behind the door. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

His father reached behind the door and grabbed the boy by his hair. Lifting him off the ground, his rage was palpable. "I'm sorry! I didn't see anything, I was worried, I swear!", he pleaded. His words fell on deaf ears. "I've had enough of your failures", he said, dragging Blythe outside to the yard. The boy begged for mercy as he tugged along by his scalp. When the door opened, his father thrust him into the night. "Stay here until I finish with your mother", he seethed. He turned to go back inside, but Blythe didn't want his mom to hurt anymore, so he launched himself onto his father's leg and held tight. "You little shit!", yelled Yavuz, punching the lad repeatedly. Annoyed, he reached for the katana he kept by the door. "Please, no!", screamed Tihana, lunging forward. She grabbed Blythe and skid to a stop in the sand outside their home. A deep cut ran through the side of his neck and into his mother's ribs. He laid in shock before finally uttering, "Mama?". She wasn't answering. Her breathing was labored. She struggled onto her knees and set him on his feet. "Run", she whispered, shoving him behind her. They were both bleeding badly. "Mama, you're hurt!", he argued.

Yavuz stared them both down with a killer's eyes. "Don't worry, Blythe. She won't hurt much longer", he stated, striding forward. Tihana turned and shoved her son into a run as contact was made. Stumbling, Blythe landed on his face. Turning to see the aftermath was too much for him to handle. Tihana's head spun in the sand beside him. He screamed, a primal shriek as his mother's blood sprayed over his face and body. Tanya, too, had seen everything from their bedroom window, but she remained silent, simply observing the violence. "Shut up!", ordered Yavuz. Blythe slowly looked up to his face, trembling visibly. "If you love each other so much, spend some time together", he grinned. Blythe cowered, bracing for attack. Instead, his father grabbed him up by the neck of his shirt and dragged him several feet. Then, he lifted him and dropped him down to the well, followed by Tihana's disembodied head. Blythe shrieked again, unable to get away from the horror.

He cried so hard, he never noticed his own wound sealing over. It would many years before he even realized it, let alone what it meant. He spent the night in that well beside his mother's dead-eyed stare. He cried most of the night, shivering with both fear, shock, and exposure. Desert nights are widely known to be frigid despite the searing daytime heat. Yavuz didn't care about losing the well. He would simply cover it over and build another. That's the kind of cold-hearted bastard he was.

-

The next day, he told the neighbors a story about his previous mark's comrade coming for revenge in the night. He said he lost his 'beloved' wife to them and they had taken Blythe away, likely to never be seen again. Tanya knew better than to say otherwise, so she played along, crying crocodile tears at the loss of her mother and brother. Three days later, Yavuz opened the front door to leave for a bounty and was met with a soulless version of his son. Blythe stood there, weak and battered, terrified and having nowhere else to go. He'd spent three days of pure Hell in that well and had finally managed to climb out. He was covered in a mix of blood, some his own, and most his mothers. His young mind couldn't process what he had seen and been through, so he silently passed his father and went to his room. He wouldn't emerge again for several days, but when he did, his father greeted him a grin and said, "Maybe there's hope for you yet."

-

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Early Files - Blythe, part 2 (a Fairy Tail fanfic prequel)

It had been two years since the horror of the well and the loss Blythe's mother. So long as he never spoke the truth about that night, his father allowed him to live. It wasn't difficult for the lad. He barely spoke at all since things went so wrong. He diligently continued his training. Though emotionally dead inside, his physical skills improved. Honestly, Yavuz liked him better this way. He no longer cried in front of him or Tanya, nor did he whine or complain when things got rough. He took his beatings in silence. A prolonged state of shock had left him a mere puppet of his father's will, executing his duties perfectly and silently.

One day, training ran late. Blythe had spent much of the day meticulously working his way out of a mine shaft that was rigged with traps set by his father. Tanya, now thirteen spent her focus on poison, having already aced this test long ago. Blythe wandered through the tunnels for a while after he'd passed the danger zone. It was silent here now. A few years ago, the RedFox clan lost its matriarch and, in doing so, lost their carter of iron to the great dragon protector, Metilicana. A few villagers still worked the mines for trade, but little was done to drive them. Once the offerings ceased, so did the dragon's protection. It wasn't that the beast had simply left. He could often be seen in the sky, passing overhead. Blythe wondered why the creature was still around. When he finally exited the mine, his father and some other men were talking.

"I'm not going! I'll be damned if I'm getting killed to check on that wretch!", shouted one man. "But the sacrifice must have been accepted! Haven't you noticed the lack of bandits again?", said a village elder. "Bullshit. The outlaws have dwindled thanks to my efforts", stated Yavuz, staring down the group with a look that begged someone to counter. "Still, how do we know if the boy's dead or not?", asked the first man. "Why should we care?", laughed another. Yavuz settled his eyes over his son. "Blythe, I have a new task for you", he said evenly. He told the boy to go to the lair of the dragon and see if the town's offering had been accepted. Without arguing, he nodded and departed in silence. He overheard this as he left: "What he gets killed?", asked the old man. Yavuz laughed and replied, "It won't be a loss. That child is hopeless. Hell, if he gets eaten, I don't have to worry about feeding him anymore!". The men all laughed as Blythe hung his head as he trekked down the path.

-

Metilicana had set up his home across the gorge, where the mines had already been stripped. Blythe slowly crept along the rocks, afraid to enrage the great beast. Yet, instead of a great roar, he heard voices. "I don't give a damn about that stuff! Just show my how to crush things!", argued a boy a little older than himself. The dragon stared down the child defiantly. "Learn the basics. Learn how to control the power before you wield it", snorted the dragon, annoyed. A faint chuckle gave away Blythe's location. It was the first time he'd smiled or laughed since his mother's death. He'd been so terrified on the way here and there was no bone yard, no blood pools. Just a giant dragon arguing with a human boy like a parent and child. "Who the Hell are you?!", demanded the boy. Blythe froze as he was spotted. Then, it hit him. He recognized that boy. Sliding down the dune toward him, he offered his small, pale hand. "I know you. You're the Redfox boy", he offered. The boy looked at him, "Like no shit, genius." Metilicana rose from his lounging position. "And who are you, child?", he asked in a powerful voice. Blythe stared up at the creature with huge eyes, a mix of awe and fear on his face. He mumbled his response. "Speak up!", demanded the dragon. Bowing quickly, he shouted, "Blythe Sandrunner!". The beast seemed to grin at him. "Gajeel, I didn't think you had any human friends", he said, eying the other boy. The young dragon slayer crossed his arms in a huff, snorting, "I don't know this idiot."

Metilicana whacked him gently over the head with the tip of his tail. Gajeel held his head and hollered, "Ouch! What was that for?!". Again Blythe snickered. It felt good to feel again. "What are you laughing at?", demanded Gajeel, shoving Blythe back a few steps. Blushing faintly, Blythe replied, "I'm sorry. This just isn't what I expected to find." Metilicana settled back into the sand. "What did you expect then?", he inquired. Blythe told them about how he'd been sent to see if the offering had been accepted. Gajeel remained weary of him at best as his adoptive father answered the blonde boy's questions. Tired of being stared at, he darted a nasty glare toward Blythe. "What?!" Fiddling his fingers, Blythe said, "Are you happy here?". That threw the young dragon slayer for a loop. The dragon himself simply waited for an answer. "It's better than staying up there with those idiots", he finally replied. Blythe smiled to himself. It really was possible for a kid to make it out here.

Eventually, it was decided how Blythe should respond to the questions of the villagers. He would tell them that the sacrifice had appeased the great dragon and he would once more offer his protection if the iron carts started flowing again. No one questioned him about how he found the boy's remains or how he managed to leave the beast with his life. They were just glad they didn't have to do it. That left one problem - Who would cart the offerings? The Redfox clan was presumed extinct, so someone else had to take on the task. There were long conversations and heated arguments. Finally, everyone was silenced by the raised hand of a young boy. Blythe had volunteered. After all, the dragon would recognize him, so why should anyone question it? His bravery impressed his father for the first time ever.

When they returned home and told Tanya of the events, she was skeptical. There was no way her baby brother was capable of doing anything like that. She raised her hand to strike him and call him out on his lies, but for once, their father stopped her. Angered, she fled to her room. Yavuz told Blythe that he could fulfill his duties and restore honor to the Sandrunner name, he would never strike him again. Sadly, false promises are always hollow.

-

For months, the young Blythe drove the iron cart to the dragon. He would often sit around just to watch the great beast in wonder. As time went on, he eventually got Gajeel to warm up to him. He told him the truth of his mother's demise. She hadn't abandoned him; She'd been stoned to death as a heretic to the old ways. Gajeel took it fairly well, having figured something like that must have happened. Metilicana spent less time around the children when Blythe came, giving them time and space to simply be boys. AS time passed, they grew closer. They shared stories of their past and present, spared for fun, and even helped each other without being aware, simply by listening.

A year had gone by and the boys stared up into the sky with their backs against the sand. They were discussing small matters, Blythe avidly avoiding explaining his newest injuries. It angered Gajeel to see him so mistreated. He, too, would be beaten or worse if he went to town to confront the problem, so he offered his friendship as consolation. He'd wanted nothing to do with Blythe for quite some time at first, but he slowly gave in to that stupid smile, unknowing he was only person to see it. Annoyed, the young dragon slayer sat up in huff. "This is stupid! Just grab your crap and stay out here", he said, staring down his innocent friend. "I can't do that, Jeel-kun", said Blythe shyly. "You know I hate when you call me that", said Gajeel flatly. Blythe smiled, hoping the previous topic had blown over. It had not.

His friend stared at his bandages with angry eyes. "How long are you going to put up with this shit? Seriously, they're gonna kill you one of these days", said Gajeel. "I don't think they will...Even if just so they have a cart driver", replied Blythe sullenly. "Can you promise that? Your asshole of a dad has never tried to seriously harm you?", asked Gajeel skeptically. He knew when his friend was withholding details. Blythe got very quiet, eerily quiet. Their conversation was waking something deep in his mind. He'd suppressed the memories of the night his mother died to survive and now they were coming back. He curled up with his knees to his chest and buried his face into his folded arms. Gajeel watched him with caution, unsure what he'd said wrong. "Hey", he said, reaching out. When his hand grasped Blythe's arm, he realized Blythe was shaking. Violent tremors ran from the hair on his head down his toes. Something was wrong, very wrong. Without warning, Blythe started sobbing. "What the hell?! Talk to me, dammit!", said Gajeel, frustrated and confused.

Metilicana listened from his cavernous retreat from the sun. The old mines made a cool home in desert heat. He watched through one slit eye, pretending to be asleep. Blythe finally looked up after being shaken several times by his friend. He leapt into Gajeel's arms with tears flowing freely. Gajeel fought his instinct to kick him away. He knew something big had happened. Through gasps and sobs Blythe related the story of how his mother died and those days of Hell in the well. Everything came rushing back. Once again, he faced with trauma no child should ever experience. When he'd finished talking, Gajeel sat silent as Blythe started to doze off against him. He was tense all over, enraged at the things Yavuz had done. It wasn't enough that he and Tanya beat Blythe constantly and belittled him every chance they got, but what he had just heard pushed him over the edge. He had to do something. He couldn't sit back and pretend to ignore Blythe's problems any longer. He let his friend rest there that night, afraid to send him home. Besides, it's not his father cared if he was there or not.

-

The next morning, Blythe woke up in confusion. Rubbing the grit from his eyes, he yawned, "Was I sleep walking again?". Gajeel smirked to himself, glad Blythe seemed back to normal. He had, in fact, sleep walked all of the way out to him before on a few occasions. His sleep was always troubled by his mind, so his body often wandered on its own during the moon's time. "I was starting to think I had to eat all this by myself", teased Gajeel. Blythe stretched and made his way to the campfire. Eggs and meats had been fried and were awaiting consumption. Blythe stared at his friend with huge, sparkling eyes. "I didn't know you could cook", he said, still in awe. "Of course I can! I have to. You didn't seriously think the bag of scales cooked for me, did you?", scoffed Gajeel. Blythe scanned the area. Metilicana wasn't there. Shaking it off, he gladly ate his fill, overjoyed his best friend had made something for him. He hummed and swayed childishly as he ate. Gajeel shook his head, but let him be.

Eventually, the dragon returned. Blythe blocked the flying sand from his eyes and Metilicana came to a rest from above. Gajeel yelled at him for putting out his cooking fire. Blythe chuckled as they went back and forth. Then, he remembered something. Last night wasn't a dream. Both the dragon and his son looked at him at once as a single tear fell to the sand. "I'm sorry you had to put up with me again", he said sheepishly. "Don't be stupid. I know it's hard for you, but try", replied Gajeel, tauntingly. Blythe nodded and wiped his face. He thanked them both for everything before driving the empty iron cart back to the village.

Once he was out of sight, Gajeel sent a calculating look to his adoptive father. "You didn't do it, did you?", he sighed. "No", replied the dragon. "Dragons killing men will only incite another war", he added darkly. Gajeel punched his dad's massive foot in frustration, only hurting his own hand. "Then let me do it!", he yelled, trying to mask his pain. "Absolutely not. If you go into that town, they'll kill you", chided the beast. "I don't care!", spat Gajeel, angry and annoyed. His father squinted at him with a look that said, "You've gone too far again." He turned in silence and returned to the cool shade of the mines. Before bedding down entirely, he said, "If you go, don't come back." Then, he closed his huge eyes and went to sleep. Gajeel was angry, upset, and hurt, but the dragon was right. That alone stung more than anything.

-

Many years flew by and Blythe had grown into a teenager alongside his best friend. Metilicana had vanished some time ago. Reports from the land seemed to echo the same thing with all other known dragons. Yavuz, too, had gone missing. Tanya mysteriously returned from a team mission alone the previous summer and offered no details as to what had occurred. Blythe knew the truth even she didn't admit it. Tanya had killed their father. What troubled him wasn't that fact; It was that he was unsure if was revenge for their mother or simply to prove she could. Tanya spent less and less time in the house, going on missions as far away she could get. Eventually, Gajeel, too, left home. It was strange. The day before it had rained for the first time anyone could remember and people whispered of a stranger with blue hair. Gajeel hadn't said anything about it. He simply left. Blythe didn't hate him for it. How could he? He was the only friend he'd ever had. He knew Gajeel well enough to know he'd come back when he was ready.

Blythe was glad to have the house to himself. Whenever his sister came home, she always offered a thrashing, taking out her hatred for the world on her younger sibling. He didn't care anymore. There was nothing she could do to him that was new. He simply laid low when she was home and hoped she'd be on her way again quickly, which she usually was. That left the family business of bounty hunting to him alone for the local thugs. Surprisingly, he was pretty good at it, too. He made enough to earn a living and keep his hometown relatively safe. Despite his services, no one seemed to like him much. His occupation made him unfavorable, not like the old days. People either avoided him or cursed him on site. His work was 'dirty', but necessary. The only time anyone actually requested his presence was at the local funerals. He had a voice like an angel and all of dirges managed to hit the heart of even the coldest, hardened old men.

He got used to his new role and solitude. He missed his friend, but wished him well. He decided that the cycle of hate would end with his father. Sure, he'd been through Hell, but the man responsible was gone. He didn't see any reason to take it out on those around him. Though they avoided or even despised him, he always offered a kind smile and friendly wave when he passed by. Over time, people lightened up. He was hired killer, but he seemed to be a good person underneath it. He gained the trust of most of his neighbors, though they never understood his daily ritual of dropping a single flower down the old well. They never asked and he never offered to explain. It was just a quirk that they had become accustomed to. Their trust was a vital asset. After all, only Blythe knew who could truly be trusted when his best friend came knocking again. He saw him once during a raid on a slaver ring and again a few years later with a new guild and seemingly a better life. He was glad to see him away from Phantom Lord and even more pleased to see him with someone who stood by him despite his flaws. Even though he'd always hold Gajeel on a pedestal, he was glad he was out there living his life - mistakes and all.

The time between his visits were several years apart. Blythe listened intently as he heard Gajeel's tales of Tenrou Island and was amazed to see he hadn't aged. Blythe himself seemed to age little. He'd inherited his mother's 'baby face' and his personality only seemed to convince others that he was in fact still younger than he was. He was so happy to see that life could exist outside this barren place. The day he got an invitation to leave, he did. He'd met a new friend, Kavi Drupada, and had been invited into his guild even though he couldn't use magic. He'd saved Kavi from himself much as Gajeel had saved him years ago. It seemed things had come full circle at home. He had nothing to stay for and nothing to lose, so he joined Serpent Wing. His first official mission was also the most important. He got to see Fairy Tail, worked with his best friend, adopted a little sister, and even unlocked his magic. His guild master watched him with caution once this had happened. She worried for his mind, knowing his past and the fate of the previous wielder of such arcane power. Only time would tell if he would master his magic or fall to it.

-

The End - See more of Blythe in "The Forgotten" and "Lost Echoes"!


End file.
